


Glooming Peace (A Goodbye)

by fireweed15



Category: Book of Life (2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-30
Updated: 2015-12-30
Packaged: 2018-05-10 11:19:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5583868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fireweed15/pseuds/fireweed15
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A glooming peace this morning with it brings; / The sun for sorrow will not show his head. — Romeo and Juliet, Act V Scene iii</p>
            </blockquote>





	Glooming Peace (A Goodbye)

**Author's Note:**

> Recommended Music: A Little Fall of Rain (Samantha Barks, Les Misèrables)   
> (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=no4B8YWhdFg)

In order of having them, Joaquín’s thoughts were gratitude that María has unhurt, and relief that Manolo had been mistaken about the snakebite—and then regret, for the things he’d said to him before leaving him on the bridge. 

 

That he’d thought Manolo should have been the one to die instead of María—not even grief could excuse that, and as soon as he was able, Joaquín excused himself from the Posada family’s company, and then their estate, to find Manolo and offer apologies and beg his forgiveness. 

 

The plan was complicated by the fact that Manolo wasn't at home (or any of his usual haunts, for that matter), and by the fact that neither his family nor the Rodriguez brothers had seen him since late last night. Joaquín decided he wouldn't allow himself to be troubled by this information—worrying wouldn't find him any faster. Instead, he pulled his sombrero low over his eyes to guard against the worsening rain, and started toward the city gates, and the bridge beyond. 

 

Even over the hissing of wind and the rumble of distant thunder, a faint moan of pain was unmistakable. Joaquín’s guard was up in moments—and just as quickly, when he saw the source of the sound, it and his entire world fell out from under him. 

 

Manolo was here, but not in the way Joaquín had hoped—lying on the muddied earth, curled in on himself, one hand half cradling, half hovering over an unseen wound on his leg. His face was contorted in pain, and for the moment, he had yet to acknowledge or even register Joaquín’s presence. 

 

For a moment, fear, horror at what had happened after he’d left his friend alone, gripped Joaquín, paralyzing him. Finally, he managed to find the energy to move, and when he did, it was to all but sprint to Manolo’s side, his sombrero falling off in his haste. “Manolo!” 

 

The words seemed to break through even a little of Manolo’s pain. “You—“

 

“What happened?” Everything was happening impossibly fast, and impossibly slow at the same time, and Joaquín struggled to keep pace, to orient himself. 

 

“The snake came back,” Manolo admitted, his teeth clenched against the pain. 

 

Joaquín pushed Manolo’s hands away to try to see the wound, but the darkness of the sky and his darker trousers made it impossible. “We need to go back,” he announced, working his arms under Manolo’s knees and shoulders. “Get the doctor—“

 

Manolo shook his head. “Don’t—it’s okay—“ Just speaking seemed to hurt him, and he grit his teeth against it. 

 

“Manu, _no_ —“ The idea that Manolo was denying the chance to be _saved_. “We _need_ to go back.” 

 

“It’s okay,” he soothed, his fingers trembling as his hand sought Joaquín’s. “Really.” 

 

“No it’s not!” Even to his own ears, the words were loud, and Joaquín realized he’d shouted them. He bit the inside of his cheek, hard, until he tasted copper. The sensation distracted him from the way his vision started to swim. “I’m sorry—Manu, I’m so sorry…” 

 

“It’s not your fault.” Manolo brushed his thumb over Joaquín’s knuckles. 

 

“What I said to you—“ The words caught in Joaquín’s throat, and he swallowed both them and a pained sob. “I shouldn't have—“

 

Manolo managed to shrug one shoulder. “You were hurt—whose fault was that?” 

 

“It wasn't yours.” The tears that threatened to spill over finally started to fall, and Joaquín didn't bother to wipe them away. “But—María. She’s… _Ella bien_.” 

 

For the first time, something other than a grimace of pain touched Manolo’s face, and a thin smile tagged at the corners of his mouth. “That’s good, that’s—“ He grimaced, lurching forward and clinging to Joaquín’s jacket sleeve like an anchor. 

 

“We need to take you back,” Joaquín insisted, moving to lift Manolo again. 

 

“No, just—“ Manolo gripped his jacket a little tighter, hiding his face in Joaquín’s chest—“ _Quédate conmigo_. Please stay with me.” 

 

How could he deny him? Nodding slowly, Joaquín wrapped his arms around Manolo’s shoulders, holding him close. “This wasn't how it was supposed to happen,” he mumbled, bring his face in Manolo’s wet hair. 

 

The only reply Manolo offered was a moan—different from before, agonized, accompanied by spasms that made his whole body tense and tremble. “Manolo—Manu, no.” Joaquín pulled back enough to look at him. “Manu, no, please—stay with me. Manu—“ 

 

For a moment, it looked as though Manolo was going to recover, that the pain would pass, but his eyes closed, the trembling reaching a fever pitch, and panic washed over Joaquín anew. “Manolo, please—please, God, don’t die—don’t—“ 

 

He wrapped his arms around Manolo in a tight embrace, trying to will life into him. “Don’t die, please. Please… I love you too much—“ 

 

It was something he’d always wanted to say, but the only response he got was the rumble of thunder and a pained sob that he barely recognized as his own. 


End file.
